Paddle Ball Game
First to seven points. The ball speeds up with every return.
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About this test
The two-paddle, one-ball game is the archetype of early 1970s arcade video games: two vertical bars, a square in the middle, a score, and nothing else. Its longevity isn't nostalgia — it's that there is nothing left to remove. This is already the minimum.
From the player's side it comes down to two skills. The first is anticipation: the ball travels in a straight line between bounces, so its arrival point on your edge is entirely predictable the instant it leaves the other paddle. Weak players track the ball with their eyes and move the paddle continuously; strong players compute the impact point, go there, and stop moving.
The second is angle. In this version, the part of the paddle that contacts the ball changes its vertical component: hitting with the edge sends the ball off at a steep slope. Because the opposing paddle has a capped movement speed, a sufficiently steep ball is simply out of its reach. Scoring isn't about returning harder, it's about returning further from where your opponent happens to be.
How it works
The match runs to seven points for either side, and the ball accelerates slightly with every return. Only your points count, not the margin: losing seven to six is therefore a very good score. The 0-100 score runs from zero to seven points.
This test is provided for entertainment purposes only. It is not a diagnosis or professional advice.